14
THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2006
BOARD EDITORIALS
PLEASE, VOTE SMART
If voters are educated, then maybe competent student officers will
be elected next year something vital to serving students’ interests.
It’s that time again. No, not the inevitable over
hyping of the Superbowl, but student elections.
And like with any election, a precursor is cam
paigning —a time of posters, clever slogans and can
didates and associates trying to brainwash you into
voting for them while you walk through the Pit. After
all, one of those candidates will be the best or least
worst next student body president or president of
the Graduate and Professional Student Federation.
Yet, while we all want to see the candidates out
there working hard to earn the vote, their self-mar
keting techniques should, for you the voter, only
serve as a personal introduction.
You wouldn’t date someone for a year based on a
single glimpse.
We all like the pretty colors and the gimmicks, but
please base your voting decision on something more
in-depth than that one candidate talks like he’s from
the cast of “West Wing.”
Be proactive and research the candidates. Bernard
Holloway and James Allred are running to be Student
Body President see what they are all about. They
have platforms, so read them and decide for yourself
VIRTUAL EDUCATION
Online courses are a wonderful way to help educate North Carolinians
as part of the push to make our state more economically competitive.
In today’s high-speed society, online courses are
comparable to Super Wal-Mart. Both offer low
priced goods and both are convenient for people
from all walks of life.
And just like with Wal-Marts, we would like to see
more and more of this service popping up.
With the help of that technology, people across
the state not just college students on campuses
can receive a high-quality education from dis
tinguished universities without having to leave the
comfort of their own homes.
Grab a comfy desk chair and a computer, and
you’re all set.
North Carolina offers a variety of courses over the
Internet, from communications to the sciences.
In fact, there are 234 distance learning programs
and 89 online degrees offered across the state. The
distance-learning program is ready and available
for undergraduates and for professional adults alike
without the bother of having to be on campus for
that dreaded 8 a.m. class.
Distance learning through online courses is a vital
part of the education process today with people liv
ing at a faster pace and having limited free time to
THRIFTY’S THE WORD
Lottery money should only go to public schools charter schools
will just have to miss out in exchange for their unusual autonomy.
This spring, North Carolinians will be able to
buy lottery tickets without having to drive to
South Carolina, Virginia or Tennessee.
The revenue from the lottery minus payouts
and administrative costs will go exclusively into
funding public education.
That’s how it should be.
While some might take issue with the morality of
a state-sponsored lottery, few will argue that public
schools don’t need the money.
But a debate about whether public schools have
the sole right to lottery money centering on the
right of public charter schools to receive a fair share
of the lottery profits should go no further.
Due to the unique nature of the charters in ques
tion, we believe that the lottery formula should not
be rewritten to give them a share of lottery funds.
In a sense, charter schools blur the line between
public and private schools.
They receive their day-to-day funding from tax
payers, but they must pay for their own building
costs through tuition and private donations.
They are governed by boards of directors, not local
school boards, and while they can set their own poli
EDITOR'S NOTE: The above editorials are the opinions solely of The Daily Tar Heel editorial board and were reached after open debate. The
board consists of six board members, the associate opinion editor, the opinion editor and the DTH editor. The 2005-06 DTH editor decided not
to vote on the board and not to write board editorials. Address concerns to Public Editor Ellizabeth Gregory at elizagre@email.unc.edu.
HEADERS’ FORUM
Campus Y endorses planks
from candidates' platforms
TO THE EDITOR:
On Tuesday night, the Campus
Y hosted this year’s first election
forum.
Instead of endorsing individual
candidates, our officers and co
chairs decided to endorse an idea
from each candidate’s platform that
relates directly to our mission: “the
pursuit of social justice through the
cultivation of pluralism.”
We endorse these platform
planks:
William Thompson, Residence
Hall Association president can
didate, would help with the Big
Four ACC Canned Food Drive by
encouraging residence halls to take
an active role.
Rachel High, Carolina Athletic
Association president candidate,
would bridge the gap between
athletes and the Campus Y by hav
ing committees, mainly those with
one-on-one relationships, such as
Big Buddy and Best Buddies, come
to sporting events
Doug Weiss and Juelle McDonald,
senior class officer candidates,
would organize a laptop drive so
children in developing countries
can learn computer skills.
Meg Peterson and Eric Schmidt,
senior class officer candidates,
would pair the senior class with
one service organization all year to
if their respective ideas are good, bad, plausible or
untenable. Allred’s is at www.unc.edu/allred/plat
form.html. Holloway’s isn’t up yet.
You don’t have to be an undergraduate student to
get in on the action, Lauren Anderson and P. J. Lusk
are running to lead the GPSF next year. Read their
platforms and judge their worth.
Also, feel free to attend the bevy of forums and see
how well candidates articulate their respective ideas,
field questions and interact with other human beings.
You can do it tonight Di-Phi is holding one such
event at 7:30 p.m. in New East. Next week the Young
Democrats and College Republicans will be hosting
forums to determine their endorsements —be there,
and be partisan if you want to be.
Don’t simply vote straight friend-ticket. Asa voter,
you need to be educated on the candidates’ plans for
you issues affecting everything from your wallet
(tuition) to your belly (possibly replacing Lenoir’s
Burger King).
These are your issues, not just topics of debate
for a student government club. Don’t be afraid, get
involved and get educated.
go back to school.
Not only does this delicious new flavor of higher
education allow us to connect with people from the
mountains to the coast, but it also helps to enhance
the overall economy.
Let’s face it: The more people North Carolina has
with college degrees, the better off our economy will
be. Education means a higher standard of living and
a better employee pool companies pondering a move
to the Old North State can choose from.
With the old North Carolina economy based
extensively on tobacco and textiles fading into the
past, education will become all the more important
as we move into the new frontier.
North Carolina and the University should make an
effort to increase further available distance education
programs to offer even more courses and degrees.
For those interested in perusing the possibilities
here at UNC, the University’s courses can be found
at www.fridaycenter.unc.edu/cp/cco.
The North Carolina economy of tomorrow isn’t
yet here, but by investing in education on and off
campuses we can ensure that the one that finally
arrives is a bright one.
cies in most areas such as school uniforms they
still are subject to state standardized testing.
We believe charter schools should receive the same
per-pupil funding as any other public school, minus
that earmarked for new construction.
And we understand why charter school adminis
trators are pushing for construction funding from
the lottery; they’re just trying to do what’s best for
their students that’s their job.
However, we believe legislators should accept
that, while we appreciate their efforts and service,
a lack of access to public construction funding is
the trade-off for the schools’ autonomy and self
determination.
It is only natural for groups to try to gain access to
new sources of revenue. But the $350 million pro
jected to come in from the lottery is a finite resource,
and charter schools should abide by the deal they
made with the people of North Carolina: They traded
funding for freedom.
In the lottery, you have to play to win. When it
comes to getting money from the lottery, you have
to be public to really cash in we wouldn’t have it
any other way.
foster a stronger relationship and to
capitalize on seniors’ manpower.
Jonathan Friedman and Barry
Turner, senior class officer can
didates, would work with Heifer
International, an organization
that provides sustainable sources
of food and income to people in
developing countries.
James Allred, student body presi
dent candidate, would foster a clos
er relationship between the Campus
Y and student government’s public
service advocacy committee.
Bernard Holloway, student body
president candidate, would create a
North Carolina Service Corps.
No matter what happens Feb.
14, we look forward to working
with student leaders and all stu
dents in the coming year to bring
those ideas to fruition.
Kama! Menghrajani
Co-president
Campus Y
Stephen Lassiter
Co-president
Campus Y
Front page picture featured
some rather effective 'D'
TO THE EDITOR:
I regret to inform you that your
hopes of keeping anonymous the
individual, who was “Taken to
School” on Tuesday’s front page,
Opinion
are hereby spoiled.
It was I, Amon Anderson,
employee-athlete.
First off, I’d like to point out my
quality “D” in the photo.
As I pointed out to my room
mates, my knees were bent, my
center of gravity was low, my arms
were extended and, most impor
tantly, I positioned myself between
my opponent and the basket.
I request a correction. Rather
than “Taken to School,” how about
the headline, “Employee-Athlete
Skillfully Maneuvers Mismatch
Down-Low and Proves Good
Things Come in Small Sizes.”
A little long, I know, but if
there’s anything that we need in
this world, it’s accurate journalism
free of sensationalism and headline
mongering.
Amon Anderson
Internship Director
Department of Economics
Students come out and
help local pets, local music
TO THE EDITOR:
Like Sumner Phillips, I was
disappointed with the Diversions
section’s “Top Ten of 2005.”
The list’s similarity to those in
national publications only high
lights The Daily Tar Heel’s thin
coverage of Chapel Hill’s thriving
local talent.
FROM THE DAY’S NEWS
“The necessity of (a tuition) increase is undeniable.”
SETH DEARMIN, student body president, in a column, on his support for raising tuition
EDITORIAL CARTOON
Mil ■
COMMENTARY
Vote with your dollars when
examining labor practices
Y'ou there. Pick that dirty
pair of jeans up off your
bed. Do you know where
they were made?
I’ll bet you can remember buy
ing them. Maybe you finally found
a pair of jeans for 40 bucks that
didn’t look horrible, or somehow
found a pair of designer jeans on
sale. Or maybe you got dragged
along to the mall and didn’t feel
like wasting an afternoon win
dow-shopping without actually
accomplishing anything.
Whatever the reason, they’re
sitting there on your bed right
now, worn one time too many
without seeing the inside of a
washing machine.
Not only do your clothes tell
everyone just a little bit about
you, they also tell us a great deal
about what people and corpora
tions value what they avoid and
what they ignore.
Every piece of clothing you own
has helped write U.S trade his
tory. Clothing from Taiwan in the
1950s helped transform the coun
try into a global powerhouse.
Today, clothing purchased from
China expands an already bur
geoning trade deficit, weakening
U.S. currency and transferring
vast wealth to a country that is
beginning to train its own fighter
pilots and is exhibiting increasing
hostility toward both Taiwan and
the United States.
The damage caused by river
pollution was in the billions of
dollars last year, and two instanc
es of serious river pollution next
to major Chinese cities in the last
six months have brought extra
attention to what some say is an
environmentally unsustainable
industrial expansion.
Yet, according to the Chinese
government, the standard of
living has been skyrocketing,
bringing impoverished citizens a
quality of living that was unimagi
nable under the isolationist Mao
not 40 years ago.
Judging by the amount of
reporting the DTH does on musi
cians in the area, one would never
guess that Rolling Stone maga
zine’s “Schools that Rock” recently
awarded Chapel Hill fourth place
for best music scene.
Phillips writes that 2006 is the
perfect year to start focusing on
local musicians.
Indeed, on Friday comes a great
opportunity to witness four amaz
ing bands while contributing to the
community.
AniMall pet adoption and out
reach center will be hosting a
benefit concert at The Autobahn,
located at 2214 Homestead Road,
featuring Mother Courage, Identity
Crisis, Lactose Quervo and Big
Pretty and the Red Rockets.
Doors open at 7:30 p.m. and the
suggested donation for admission
is $6.
Though the University newspa
per might remain apathetic toward
our town’s talent, students should
support local musicians.
Friday’s concert is a great way
to start.
Liz Winter
Senior
Communications
[BlaOGOiai’]
http://apps.daHy
tarneel.com/blogs
/editor.php
Discuss letters
from the reader's
forum or add
your own at the
Editor's blog
JEREMY SPIVEY
ALL OVER THE MAP
In Vietnam, where $l.B billion
of U.S. clothes are put together,
the minimum wage is just more
than a dollar a day in most places.
At those exceptionally low labor
charges, everyone from Dockers
to Nike receives clothing from
Vietnamese factories.
Depending on your perspec
tive, that either mercilessly
exploits Vietnamese citizens
oppressed under Communist rule
or provides them an opportunity
to get off the seven-day workweek
farm and into a six-day, eight
hour-per-day factory job, which
is both less strenuous and pays
slightly more.
Regardless of your position on
free trade which varies both
within and across political parties
nobody can deny that U.S. tex
tile factories are going overseas,
destroying rural communities
whose identities were once crafted
around town mills.
Unless those jeans are made by
Seven, Citizens, Lucky, Paper or a
few other choice brands retailing
from SBO to S3OO per pair, they
probably aren’t supporting your
local mill town.
Maybe you think textile manu
facturing belongs in countries
without the resources the United
States has to train and educate
employees in high-tech fields.
Maybe you want to help Third
World countries with reasonable
wages provide work for their
impoverished citizens.
Maybe China’s owning enough
U.S. securities to fund the entire
Iraq war through November 2005
scares the crap out of you.
Speak Out
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By Philip McFee, pip@email.unc.edu
If you care at all about any of
those scenarios, then you should
care as much about the tag inside
of your jeans as much as you care
about the tag on the outside.
Many people are quick to
blame the U.S. free-market
system for exploiting foreign
workers. Some feel that by not
protecting our own jobs in the
United States where we can verify
that people are making acceptable
wages, our government is con
tributing to a system of want and
poverty. By not demanding a liv
ing wage in exchange for trading
rights, we encourage countries to
race to the bottom.
However, World Trade
Organization rules have demand
ed that all quotas be eliminated
among member countries. That
means we’re internationally
obligated to provide China with
unfettered access to U.S. markets.
And the WTO estimates that
half of all U.S. textile imports will
be Chinese by next year, making it
our responsibility to support good
companies and shun bad ones.
Will you buy clothes made in a
country with decent labor protec
tions, such as Cambodia?
Or, will you buy the best qual
ity clothes at the cheapest price,
often from Vietnam or China?
Maybe you want to support
companies whose clothes are
often made in the United States,
such as New Balance, Lucky
Brand or Charlotte Russe.
If you have a few dollars to
donate to a good cause, consider
using it to tell corporations that
you care about where their clothes
are made. Buy from responsible
companies that buy from respon
sible countries.
Those dirty jeans might not
have a clean history, but that
doesn’t mean your next pair can’t.
Contact Jeremy Spivey,
a senior political science major,
atjkspivey@email.unc.edu.
MARY DUBY
BRIANA GORMAN
SPORTS CO-EDITORS, 962-4710
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